The chestnut challenge

Gr 1-3-As Tobin and Bismark finish playing of Chestnuts, a game much like Checkers, a stranger approaches, eager to prove he is the real champion. The boastful stranger, a chinchilla named Chandler, challenges timid Tobin the pangolin to the next match. As they begin to play, Chandler creates several distractions. Bismark the sugar glider and Dawn the red fox notice the Chestnuts board has changed each time they return to the game. They quickly realize Chandler is a cheater, moving chestnuts as the friends turn away from the board. Dawn and Tobin impart words of wisdom about playing for fun with no cheap tricks. In the end, Chandler joins the Nocturnals Brigade for a cheerful game. Back matter points readers to free content online as well as facts about nocturnal animals. VERDICT Fans of the series will find colorful illustrations interspersed with text to help young independent readers follow the story. Additionally, the theme of an honest game will likely resonate with this intended audience.-Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa and Polk County Public Schools. © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.